Time to leave behind spiteful behavior

March 17, 2012

Clovis Media Inc.

Enough already. In the last three months, a lot of us have expressed views — sometimes even boos — about former Clovis Mayor Gayla Brumfield and new-old Mayor David Lansford; the evils of socialism and conspiracy theories; federal funding needs and city government priorities; and the nation’s opinion of Clovis versus who in Clovis doesn’t or does like, believe in or trust President Barack Obama.

It has been OK to disagree, to fight for what we believe is right. But the conversations heard and reported on the last few days are not the usual agree-to-disagree utterances. These have morphed into disrespectful and loud anger being heard from people in both camps.

Civil discourse has been temporarily replaced by spiteful rhetoric.

Since when is it our style in Clovis to boo and heckle speakers at a public gathering as some Lansford supporters did at Thursday’s City Commission meeting?

How arrogant (and foolish) is it for at least one Lansford critic to discuss recalling the man nine days after 63 percent of the voters chose him to be mayor?

More people need to act more like retired Marine Rube Render, who responded to his failed run for a City Commission seat with his head high and his mouth shut — at least until Thursday when he told the hecklers to stop interrupting speakers.

“I don’t care if they’re wrong,” he said. “They have the right to express their opinions.”

We also appreciate Render’s admonishment of those who wanted Lansford out of office before his first commission meeting.

“That’s what they do in China,” he said. “That’s what they do in Cuba.”

Americans of all ages and incomes and religions and races and political parties love a spirited debate more than most people in this world. And we need to all remember that you win debates with reason and fact, not rudeness and shouting. And you win elections with votes.